Thursday, August 24, 2017

The Battle For The ISIS Controlled Syrian City Of Raqqa Is Exacting A Heavy Civilian Toll



The Independent: 'Hundreds of civilians' killed in Raqqa as US steps up campaign to oust Isis from Syria, Amnesty says

Russian-backed government forces carrying out indiscriminate attacks against citizens using cluster and barrel bombs, human rights NGO reports.

Amnesty International has said a US-led coalition campaign to oust Isis from Syria's Raqqa has killed hundreds of civilians, and those remaining face greater risk as the fight intensifies in its final stages.

The rights group also said Russia-backed Syrian government forces had carried out indiscriminate attacks against civilians, reported to have included cluster and barrel bombs, in a separate campaign against the militants south of Raqqa city.

“Civilians are... trapped in the city, under fire from all sides,” Amnesty said in a report.

It said the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which includes Arab and Kurdish militias, must take more care as they battle for the city's central districts.

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More News On The Battle For The ISIS Controlled Syrian City Of Raqqa

UN: Islamic State Militants Holding 20000 Civilians as Human Shields in Raqqa -- Voice of America
Syria: ‘Deadly labyrinth’ traps civilians trying to flee Raqqa battle against Islamic State -- Amnesty International
Civilians in Raqqa under fire 'from all sides': Amnesty -- Al Jazeera
Amnesty Slams Coalition's Reliance on Ordnance in Raqqa -- US News and World Report/AP
US Coalition, ISIS and Assad Have Raqqa Residents Trapped In A "Deadly Labyrinth" -- Newsweek
US-Backed Fighters Advance In Raqqa, Say IS Uses Children As Human Shields -- Radio Free Europe
UN urges pause in Raqqa fighting as humanitarian crisis mounts -- Washington Post
UN calls for pause in Raqqa offensive to spare civilians -- FRANCE 24
Syria war: UN urges pause in assault on IS bastion Raqqa -- BBC

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